Bryce Young and 4 other Carolina Panthers whose stock is soaring after Week 12

Xavier Legette - Carolina Panthers WR

One costly mistake doesn't detract from the fact Xavier Legette is making encouraging progress. His drop following a dime from Bryce Young is one he'd like to have back, but the wide receiver is growing in stature and looks capable of becoming a potentially dominant long-term option moving forward.

Legette isn't the finished product just yet, far from it. He's slowly learning how to put his outstanding athletic attributes to good use in a competitive setting. There are some concentration issues to clean up, but the trajectory remains promising as chemistry continues to develop with Young.

The former South Carolina standout cannot dwell too much on this mistake. Legette will be an integral part of any success that comes the Carolina Panthers' way down the stretch. It's been a slow burn up to now, but trading Diontae Johnson and Jonathan Mingo was the biggest confidence boost imaginable. Taking advantage of it is crucial.

Legette has a 64.7 percent catch success on the season. He might not have hit the heights anticipated of a first-round selection just yet, but the ceiling remains incredibly high.

Sam Franklin Jr. - Carolina Panthers S

It didn't take long for Sam Franklin Jr. to win over Dave Canales. His infectious energy and glass-half-full approach are exactly what the head coach is looking to install across the franchise. Unfortunately for the safety and standout special teams ace, an injury in training camp meant he started the season on injured reserve.

Franklin took time to recover from surgery. His return in Week 8 at the Denver Broncos was a massive boost to the special teams unit. It took time for the former undrafted free agent out of Temple to find his football legs, but Sunday's effort versus the Kansas City Chiefs was his best of the campaign by a considerable margin.

To say Franklin jumped off the film on special teams would be an understatement. His relentless pursuit, explosiveness, and ability to provide physicality at the initial contact point were incredibly pleasing. He secured a career-high in special-team tackles with four, which is nothing more than the player deserved from his exceptional efforts.

If the same trend continues over Carolina's remaining six games, those in power would be wise to give Franklin another extension when the time comes.

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